How to Store Shoes to Make Them Last Longer
source: hautestock
Walk in closets inside or near bathrooms are quite common in Metro Manila. Is it the same way where you are from too? In my opinion this is the worst storage for shoes and bags, because the humidity will weaken the glue and materials of the shoe. Same goes for bags. If you have ever stored a shoe in a closet for more than a year, then worn it, only to experience the soles coming off, then you know what I mean. So my first tip for you is this:
Always store your shoes in a location that gets fresh air circulation. Bathroom walk-ins are not recommended, because of the humidity. - Ayessa , DeclutterMNL
Our client Amanda Griffin-Jacob, had her stuff in storage, while her vacation flat was being renovated. Once renovations were done, her shoes were unpacked from storage. The first step to tidying, using the #KonMariMethod, is always to place all the items on the floor, so you can see everything. Amanda then touched each pair to see which items still sparked joy. After this, we were left with much fewer shoes. We also checked each one to make sure that they were still in good condition, and recommended even more shoes for disposal.
Then we looked for storage that wouldn’t be too close to the warm bathroom or windows, yet would be easy to open and air out. I recommended the shelving underneath the TV in the bedroom, so she can easily open and decide which shoes to wear, while sitting on her bed.
Then we tried different ways to organize her remaining shoes, so that
She could see all her shoes at a glance. It is very important in the Kon Mari Method that you see everything, so you know what you have, and nothing is hidden underneath or behind.
All the shoes fit. Initially it didn’t look like all the shoes would fit.
As you can see below, we tested different ways of storing, until we found the best way.
Before we found these gorgeous rose gold liners, we protected the surface of the cabinet with furniture wrap first.
It’s important to keep the shoe bags with the shoes, so that it’s easy to find them when packing shoes for trips. We folded the shoe bags following the Kon Mari Method, and placed them in a clean box, that she already had.
via Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing & Tidying Up
And then we found the shoe organizers from MUJI. The best thing about them is that they are light, and can be stored flat when not in use.
For shoes that were too tall to stack in the MUJI shoe organizers, we placed them like this, so that the heel of the shoe in the back, is easy to grab.
I was so happy with the results of this storage. The MUJI shoe stackers really saved a lot of space, so much so that there was even room to spare.
Then it’s also important to place dehumidifying tubs, to absorb humidity, and also be sure to open your closets to get some fresh air circulating. The tubs, must be emptied once all the beads turn to liquid. Do not throw the tubs, because they have refills for this. In the Philippines you can get these tubs at any hardware store like in True Value or Ace Hardware. This will keep your shoes fresh and prolong it’s life. We spend so much on shoes, so it’s important that we care for them properly.
I hope that you find this post useful. And if you do, please feel free to share it! Thank you in advance.
*May contain affiliate links, but all opinions and thoughts are my own.